What’s there to see in New Zealand? I asked
my kiwi friend.
He answered without pausing for a second,
“Stunning Landscape”.
Never really a fan of nature or landscape, I
quietly thought, “How many mountains, lakes, lagoons and fields of green can I
really see? Give me any city of Europe any day!”
New Zealand, contrary to my expectation and
much to my delight, is a country where one sees nature’s colors in clarity and
abundance. They seem sharper, more saturated and shining than anywhere else.
But in truth, New Zealand is much more than the beauty of its land and
cityscape. It is also about the clean, natural and well-preserved environment
that impacts on how positively one feels.
And then some…
Ms Oosterdam, our cruise ship
of Holland American line, set off from Sydney’s Darling Harbour. After two days
at the choppy Tasman Sea, which seemed forever, we came closer to the South Island
of New Zealand on the third morning. The vista I saw from my balcony at the 7th
deck assured me that what I had been seeing for the last two days, nothing else
but the very vast sky and the deep blue sea, was radically going to change. As our
ship started approaching Milford Sound, according to Rudyard Kipling, “The
eighth wonder of the world”, a range of mountains in the near distance,
illuminated by the fiery red and orange hues of the rising sun appeared. It was
time to get out of my bathrobe and race down to the viewing deck at level 4… in
my more appropriate winter gear of course.
The strong icy wind that greeted me was enough to break bones and tear skin of
the weak. Within minutes, I felt ready to get defrosted. The ship was slowly
creeping in to the world-famous fiord. Some higher mountains with pure white snow
down to their necks were sticking out in the back like tall awkward students in
a school photo. Certain ones were still covered
in the haze that their tops were hardly visible. A robust ray of morning sun seeped
through the mist and gently fell onto the calm water at the foot of bluish
mountains like a spotlight in search of a winner at an award show. We shivering
passengers were clearly jealous of some lucky mountaintops highlighted by the
generosity of the warm sun.
Silence
ruled the area. Many of us on the viewing deck including the usual unruly
children were spellbound by the sight of nature; nothing but the infrequent
whispers shared among passengers and the sound of gentle waves caused by the mammoth
Oosterdam, making a slow precise move through the calm sea deliberately trying
not to disturb the peace of its environs. A small cascade flowed out of a tall
rocky cliff dramatically into the sea just like a slow-motion scene from a
movie. At this stage, my ears had gone numb and my fingers turned into popsicles.
I stood there frozen and awestruck but without failing to click occasionally on
my Canon. Still not fully awake as usual but I was thankful that I dragged
myself out of bed this early to experience the magic of nature unfold.
There
was this eerily peaceful silence the next morning, so different from the
constant sound of shuddering sea waves heard throughout the night that it
woke me up. The ship was elegantly entering Port Chalmers. “Is this really
happening?” I thought to myself disbelievingly looking at the surreal panorama from my
window. A true picture-book-for-children scenery, white clouds contrasting with
the piercing blue sky, small colorful houses on the hill slopes and countless
number of sheep grazing in the green moors, scattered
like butter beans. Plants and trees of varying colors occupied the hills and some from
afar looked like giant broccolis, deeply green and corpulent. There were boats serenely
parked near the pier with their reflection flickered in the morning light. How
fortunate was I that this was not a dream?
Frankly,
after being trapped on the boat for three full days – I was ready for some
action on land. I could not wait to touch down and gallop like wild horses
unbridled. Once the ship was docked at Otago harbour, our group of eight wasted
no time and headed off to Dunedin (pronounced Da-nee-den), a nearby Scottish
heritage city which was once the biggest in New Zealand. Dunedin, though it maybe
relatively small in size, has a great deal of interesting sights to see. A wander
around town enabled us to visit First Church designed by Scottish-born
architect Robert Lawson who was also responsible for a number of other historic
buildings in the area, and to hear a short organ concert at St Paul’s Cathedral
in the heart of Dunedin.
We
played tourists by hopping onto the scenic train at the historical Dunedin
Railway Station, the Flemish Renaissance-style stone structure, complete with
Mosaic floors and stained-glass windows. Within fifteen minutes, the landscape quickly
changed from urban to coastal with white sandy beaches where people were
enjoying seaside activities such as surfing, kayaking and parasailing. What
struck me most about the region is the geographical uniqueness of it. The lush
green hills are in contrast not only with the two immense blue, above and
under, but also with a long stretch of white pristine beaches, providing an
alluring ambience for holidaymakers.
Akaroa,
founded by French settlers in 1840, is a charming little coastal town that
boasts many French-influenced buildings, small bistros, boutiques and boulangeries
in its narrow streets. Akaroa is also the gateway to Christchurch, a prominent
city, also the largest on the South Island that was devastated by the massive
2011 earthquake and its many other aftershocks. The disaster has since caused a
widespread damage and claimed the once beautiful “Garden City”. It was truly
heartbreaking to be walking among the rubbles and having to imagine how certain
impressive historical buildings once stood in full glory. Among them is the
city’s most iconic landmark, Christchurch Cathedral, built between 1864 and
1904 in Gothic Revival style, now with its spire resting in pieces on the
ground. But for those who survived, life certainly goes on. It has to for they
have no choice. We visited a temporary area assigned for shops, restaurants and
services in the city near Cathedral Square. Busy Christmas shoppers, curious
tourists and silly street performers mob this place and I hope that these
ongoing actions and interactions do lift up the spirit of locals and take their
minds off the tragedy, even for a while.
Our
beloved Oosterdam was docked between the two islands of New Zealand the next
day. We could see both islands on the left and right. The nearby area is the
famous Marlborough region celebrated for its sunny climate, stunning coastline
and superb wines. It would have been great to visit the wineries such as the
famous Cloudy Bay but for some reason, it was declared a sea day and we were to
remain on board. It was nevertheless a relaxing day that we all needed.
Just like
many who believe Sydney is the capital of Australia, I only learned upon my arrival that not Auckland but
Wellington is the political hub of New Zealand. This vivacious capital of the
North Island, houses the head offices of all government ministries and departments,
the foreign diplomatic missions and the Parliament buildings, one of them most remarkably
known as the Beehive, as the structure resembles the shape of a beehive. We kicked off our journey in Wellington with a visit
to Te Papa museum. The hands-on and interactive exhibitions with focus on New
Zealand’s history, Maori culture and various artworks are on display at free of
charge. However temporary showings and exhibits may require admission fees. Wellington
was hectic with tourists and bargain-hunters on the Boxing Day when shops in
some commonwealth countries like Australia and New Zealand, have sales with
dramatic price reductions.
Because
it was a tourist’s must-do, we climbed up the hills via the legendary Kelburn
cable car. The 800 m ride on the red funicular took us to the Carter
Observatory at the top of Botanic Gardens. The view from the top was priceless;
a lively capital bounded in protection by hills in a distance, purified by the
ocean blue and prettified by its natural foliage.
We had been lucky with the weather until we disembarked
at the port of Napier where a morning drizzle swung by and said “Hi”. Napier,
touted as the Art Deco capital of the world, sits on the edge of the Pacific
Ocean and is preserved and promoted by The Art Deco Trust. The city, destroyed
by 1931 earthquake and fire, was systematically rebuilt in the 30’s with the then
fashionable Art Deco style, quite similar to buildings at Miami Beach, though
many over there are in Streamline Modern style, a later type of Art Deco.
A
promenade through the small city for me was more like being at a grand art fair.
Under the overcast sky, in a place which seemed frozen in time, these
masterfully conserved town structures and villas, with their colors, cheerful
but muted and their motifs, elegant yet uniquely minimal, set a romantic and
nostalgic atmosphere. I simply cannot think of a better retreat for those who
love all things retro. Proud and gracious locals, many can be seen in period
costumes or posing next to vintage cars, help make Napier a major tourist
destination, not to mention, an ideal place to Instagram for smart-phone
photography enthusiasts.
Fortunately,
an hour or so drive out of Napier takes you to vineyards; one of many things
New Zealand is famous for. At Mission Estate Winery, established in 1851 by French
Catholic missionaries, I had a ball tasting diverse mix of wines, from
Riesling, Sparkling and Sauvignon Blanc to their award-winning Syrah in an elegantly
refurbished building that used to be a monastery.
Yet another grey day awaited in Tauranga, the
most populous city in the Bay of Plenty. Stepping out into my balcony, I saw Mount
Maunganui standing mightily above calm water. This area is popular with
tourists for water activities, from fishing to windsurfing but most importantly
for hot and steamy thermal activity especially in nearby town Rotorua. People
come to Rotorua, also the heartland of Maori culture, to experience natural
geothermal mud pools and mineral waters for spa and healing purposes. Rotorua,
“Roto” means lake and “Rua” is two in Maori language thus meaning “Second
Lake”, also has a nickname “Rotten-rua” due to the hydrogen sulphide emissions
from thermal activities which smells like foul rotten eggs.
Orakei
Korako which kind of sounds like a Japanese girl’s name but means “The Hidden
Valley” in English, lies at the southern end of Lake Ohakuri. A short boat ride
across the emerald lake is necessary to get access to a geyser, bubbling mud
pools, hot springs and a cave. A 60-minute hike around the valley while
witnessing the angry earth’s fury; boiling stream and fuming steam coming out
of places left and right, gave me a chance to unwrap the gift of nature and a
much-needed leg exercise. I came out of it feeling thermalized and smelling thermalicious,
which probably can’t be good.
Aukland
welcomed us the next morning with warm sunshine and clear blue sky as though
Mr. Grey Yesterday did not exist. Our two very good friends, Auckland residents,
ushered us into our first stopover, Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium. Named after
a prominent marine archeologist of New Zealand, this lovely aquarium at Mission
Bay showcases 80 different species in 30 live exhibitions in addition to the
world’s largest Antarctic Penguin Colony Exhibit.
As it
was on Saturday, during holiday season and most of all, a beautiful sunny day, Aucklanders
were out and about enjoying the warm weather, especially on the beaches. Armed
with an iced-latte, I sat and watched people in motion for a while. Not much of
a sun-seeker, I hid away from the sun under one of Pohutukawa trees also known
as “The Christmas Tree of New Zealand”, since the tree flowers from November to
January and in full bloom from mid to late December. The tree’s crimson red
flowers giving a stark contrast to the big blue sky is the one of the reminders
of summer in the southern hemisphere.
Auckland’s
city centre reminds me of Sydney’s, though relatively small considering the
population of nearly 1.4 million, 32% of the entire country. Auckland lies on a
lean isthmus and therefore is sandwiched between two harbours, the Manukau in
the southwest, which opens out to Tasman Sea and the Waitemata on the Pacific
side where our darling Oosterdam was parked. Popularly known as the “City Of
Sails”, one in three Auckland households owns a boat and there are altogether
135,000 yachts and launches. From the harbour bridge, one can see them floating
like a flock of seagulls in the water at the foot of the city’s impressive
skyline.
Irish
rock band, U2 wrote a song about Auckland’s “One Tree Hill” in their “Joshua
Tree” album although it had nothing to do with the actual history of this
memorial place, pivotal for both Maori people and New Zealanders. The song by
U2 was dedicated to a dear friend and employee of the band, a Maori named Greg
Carroll who was killed in a motorcycle accident. There was once a tree that
grew on top of this inactive volcano but it was attacked with chainsaw in two
different occasions and subsequently killed by Maori activists who tried to
highlight the social injustices inflicted upon them by the New Zealand
government. Only the obelisk built in commemoration of Maori people stands
today and the hill even has a new nickname, “None Tree Hill”.
We later went down to Takapuna beach for lunch, the happening place in the
northern suburb of the city. Without looking at the menu, I ordered my lunch:
Fish & Chips and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The former came but the latter
didn’t, as alcohol was not served at this beachfront café. I did not mind because
our next and final activity of the day anyway was ‘cocktail hours’ in the
city’s hippest quarter, Ponsonby. This inner-city suburb, merely 2 km away from
the CBD, has everything I could ever want- cafés, up-scale restaurants, art
galleries, nightclubs, services, retail shops and last but definitely not
least, the rainbow central, also known as the LGBT scene. The only disappointment for me was not having more time to spend
in Auckland as I immediately fell in love with the energetic yet relaxing
ambience of this metropolis.
Who
would have predicted, after having such bright and blessed summer day, that
heavy rain and dark clouds would be the dominant forces on our next day in a
place just 240 km away from Auckland?
Not me, certainly!
Bay of islands, our last stop and supposedly the heaven on earth for its
sparkling aquamarine waters, sandy beaches and the year-round sunshine was
marred by the horrendous climate. We boarded our boat, a double-decker
catamaran despite the downpour and soldiered on through jerky sea, at times being
tossed around like wet clothes in a drying machine. Even when the rain stopped,
it was absolutely not the ideal way to visit such a place. What becomes of
islands and beaches without the presence of the sun? On my way back to the
cruise ship, I flipped through my guidebook in order to distract myself from
seasickness and I read “The studies say that the Bay of Islands is found to
have the second bluest skies in the word after Rio de Janeiro”. I shut the book
immediately.
New
Zealanders enjoy a true quality of life. The hills here are definitely alive
with “50 shades of green”. Breathe in the cleanest air. Stroll around open
spaces. Swim and bathe in the fresh water. This is possibly the last place on
earth that pollution has not arrived. In addition to natural splendors, bountiful
resources, unique species of plants, fungi and animals, the country’s 4.4
million people enjoy stable prosperous economy, transparent corruption-free
government and constantly improving infrastructure.
It is no
surprise that 2.5 million of us from outside flock to visit this far away land every year.
